CHCC Celebrates National Skilled Nursing Care Week

This week, we celebrate National Skilled Nursing Care Week (May 10 to 16, 2020). Established by the American Health Care Association in 1967, National Skilled Nursing Care Week recognizes the essential role of skilled-nursing care centers in caring for community residents and patients. This year, it is more important than ever to recognize the dedicated team at Christian Health (CHCC) who work tirelessly to protect our residents and patients, as well as their fellow team members, during this unprecedented pandemic.

CHCC continues to take extraordinary precautionary measures in providing care for the many fragile and at-risk population in our community. We have and will continue to implement all guidelines and recommendations pertaining to COVID-19 prevention. In order to best protect our residents, patients, and all those who care for them, CHCC implemented multiple measures going above and beyond standard protocol, including the following with the help of our Facilities Management and Environmental Services departments.

• Upper-campus roads and parking lots were disinfected with a pump truck/sweeper that sprays cleaning solvent.
• A plan was developed to increase the exhaust capacity in Heritage Manor West, Heritage Manor East, and Southgate in an effort to create more negative pressure and increase air changes throughout.
• Three multi-stage HEPA filter air-scrubber units for use in general areas were purchased.
• Two HEPA filter air-scrubber units were purchased and retrofitted to add UV lighting, which is known for killing COVID.
• CHCC worked with various organizations to obtain additional PPE for our team members.
• Increased frequency of sanitizing all high-touch areas in all public and patient care areas using various EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants.
• All carpeted areas in all patient areas are sanitized daily using an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant.
• Reusable, washable isolation gowns were designed, manufactured, and distributed for use to relieve the supply-chain issue on disposable isolation gowns.
• More in-depth terminal-cleaning procedures upon discharge/transfer have been instituted. As per infection-prevention protocol, staff is waiting a minimum of 24 hours post-discharge to terminally clean rooms.
• Training of staff on cleaning procedures, as well as the supervision of these processes on the units, has increased.
• Supplies for teams in non-patient care areas to sanitize their own work personal work spaces have been made available.

CHCC is committed to keeping everyone on our campuses and the community safe and protected to the best of our abilities. We are blessed by the tireless efforts of our dedicated team, across all departments and areas, who ensure that every precaution is taken to provide care for the very at-risk population we care for, not only during Skilled Nursing Care Week, but each and every day.